History

Twisted Mister

Bromwell Stikk demanded back rent from the citizens of Hatton Corners, claiming his ancestor was due this money. Vowing to enslave the children of Hatton Corners if his demands were not met, the town answered by laughing at his ridiculous threats. Later, upon fiddling with a computer, Stikk came upon the evil entity known as Antithesis. Upon releasing the evil entity, Stikk was granted a mystical staff by the grateful Antithesis. This allowed Stikk – now dubbed Mr, Twister – to terrorize Hatton Corners with weather-related catastrophes.

The sad sack would-be super-villain was promptly defeated with the intervention of Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad. The teens’ success led Robin to later form the Teen Titans – with Kid Flash, Aqualad, Wonder Girl and Speedy.

Sometime later, Antithesis pulled Stikk into limbo and transformed him into the Gargoyle, a hideous beast with strange powers. Now bound to the Antithesis, the Gargoyle served as the evil entity’s pawn – vexing the Teen Titans or helping his master to escape limbo. As the Gargoyle, Stikk tried to sow seeds of doubt in the Teen Titans. But Robin broke the villain’s thrall and prevented him from escaping his limbo prison.

ABOVE: Gargoyle sows the seeds of doubt in the minds of all but Robin in TEEN TITANS #14 [1968].
BELOW: Mal defeats the Gargoyle, who plants the seeds of the Gabriel Horn,
as detailed in SECRET ORIGINS Annual #3 [1989].

Gargoyle returned and corrupted Mal Duncan’s computer-programed “Gabriel’s Horn”, so that each time Mal used it, the fabric of limbo would be slightly torn. The cumulative effect would break the barrier between limbo and earth and free Gargoyle and the Antithesis. The Titans discovered the ruse, leading Mal to destroy his Gabriel Horn, thwarting the evil pair once again.

This defeat did not prevent the Gargoyle from returning. On the heels of an exhausting battle with the H.I.V.E. and Tartarus, the original Titans gathered together for a weekend summit on a deserted island. The Gargoyle heightened tensions among the group, in an effort to free himself once more. His plan was exposed and Gargoyle remained imprisoned.

Short End Of The Stikk

Stikk was pulled back to earth to aid the mystics during the Infinite Crisis. After helping the magic-based heroes bind the Spectre to a new human host, Crispus Allen, Stikk was left powerless and alone. A year later, the now-homeless Stikk encountered Roy Harper at a soup kitchen in Washington DC during the holidays. Fearing the heroes’ reprisal, Stikk fled. Harper gave pursuit, and then deduced Stikk’s true identity as Mr. Twister and the Gargoyle. Realizing the once-villain had mended his ways, Harper let him go, as Stikk was grateful that somebody even remembered who he was.

Powers & Abilities

As Mr. Twister, Stikk used blackmail and weather-related catastrophes to do battle. As the Gargoyle, Stikk thrives on negativity and violence using hypnotic powers. Feeling unjustly imprisoned, he has sworn vengeance against Dick Grayson if it takes all eternity and plans to escape Limbo.

Essential Reading

Brave & The Bold #54 [1964]: The future Teen Titans make their first appearance as a team in this story, but the team is not officially organized or named. Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad are asked by the teenagers of Hatton Corners to resolve a generation gap dispute; The young heroes defeat a villain called Mr. Twister. First un-official appearance of the Teen Titans. First appearance of Mr. Twister.Teen Titans #14 [1968]: The Gargoyle, a former Teen Titans foe who claims he was unjustly imprisoned by the team, sows the seeds of doubt in the minds of all but Robin, enabling him to banish them to the dimension of Limbo by means of his mystic ring. Finally, Robin surrenders and allows himself to be transported to Limbo, so that he can fight the Gargoyle and his thralls on their home ground. Smashing the Gargoyle’s ring traps the villain in the extra-dimensional realm, and restores Robin and his teammates to Earth and normalcy. First appearance of the Gargoyle, later revealed as Mr. Twister.Teen Titans #35 [1971]: While the Teen Titans are on an overseas case, Mal is minding Titans’ Lair when the Gargoyle is accidentally released from his banishment in Limbo; Mal proves himself a hero by sending the Gargoyle back.Secret Origins Annual #3 [1989]: Dick Grayson’s dream are invaded by the Antithesis, who seeks to break Dick’s spirit so that he will remain in Limbo; Dick survives with the help of old and new Titans alike. The Special gives a post-Crisis history of the Titans, including some revamps and revisions. Includes: First Appearance of Flame-Bird (Post-Crisis Ret-con of Bat-Girl); First Appearance of Herald (Post Crisis Ret-con of Hornblower and Guardian); First Appearance of Golden Eagle’s new costume; Includes Who’s Who entries for Flamebird, Golden Eagle, Bumblebee, The Herald, Antithesis, and Gargoyle. Gargoyle and Mr. Twister revealed as the same entity.Titans #15-16 [2000]: Nightwing, Flash, Troia, Tempest, and Arsenal try to reconcile their recent differences, but instead wind up fighting for their lives as their tropical getaway turns stormy. The Gargoyle gives the Titans what it believes are their fondest wishes: to never have been Titans at all. It’s an emotional struggle for survival as the Titans fight Gargoyle’s influence.Infinite Crisis #6 [2005]: The magic-based heroes try and contain the Spectre, how is without a human host.Justice League of America #16 [2007]: In a back up story, Red Arrow finds it in his heart to forgive Mr. Twister, one of the Teen Titans’ oldest foes, in a Christmas story called “Soup Kitchen”

End of titanstower.com transmission. About this author: Bill Walko is an author and artist and the man behind titanstower.com. He's been reading and drawing comics since he was 5 years old and hasn't stopped since. Read more from this author